Malus domestica (Apple) is one of the most widely cultivated cash crops of Nepal. Jumla and Mustang are two major pocket areas for the production of apple. Flavonoids including quercetin and rutin are potent antioxidants present in apples. This study was designed to quantify and compare the presence of quercetin and rutin in different plant parts (peel, leaf, and bark) among various cultivars of Malus domestica from two pocket zones of Nepal. A new HPLC-UV method was developed and validated for the quantification of quercetin and rutin. Polyphenols, flavonoids, and carbohydrate contents were determined by colorimetric methods. 2,2′-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay was carried out to measure in vitro antioxidative activity. Acid hydrolysis of each extract was carried out by the standard method to measure aglycone quercetin content after hydrolysis of its glycosides. The total rutin content ranged from 3.69 ± 1.34 to 374.50 ± 2.35 mg/100g dry extract weight. Before the acidic hydrolysis, the total quercetin content ranged from 2.96 ± 0.13 to 171.05 ± 0.95 mg/100g dry extract weight whereas its amount increased highly after the hydrolysis and it ranged from 80.84 ± 19.65 to 7445.32 ± 29.25 mg/100g dry extract weight. Total polyphenol content ranged from 19.48 ± 0.23 to 123.48 ± 1.84 µg gallic acid equivalent/mg of dry extract weight. Similarly, flavonoid content ranged from 2.21 ± 0.72 µg to 755.54 ± 1.91 µg quercetin equivalent/mg of dry extract weight. Total carbohydrate content ranged from 144.15 ± 3.73 to 484.65 ± 2.63 µg glucose equivalent per 0.5 mg dry extract weight. All the extracts showed the various degrees of antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. Among them, stem bark of the Jonathan Jumla showed potent antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 13.003 µg/mL. The present study provides the information about variation of the phytochemical content among the different cultivars, parts, and geographic locations. Furthermore, it revealed that bark of Malus domestica cultivars had high quercetin and rutin content with high antioxidant activity.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the learning status of students from different educational boards and universities of Nepal. An online survey was conducted from tenth to twentieth of September 2020 to record the data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-designed questionnaire link, using “Google form” was sent to the students via social networks. A total of 589 participants shared their complete information. The simple percentage distribution was employed to evaluate the learning status of the students. RESULTS: During the lockdown period, >70% of the students were engaged in online classes, most commonly by using the Zoom app. The majority of the students were using WIFI as an internet source to attend online classes. Students have been suffering from various problems related to anxiety, stress, economic crises, poor internet connectivity, deprivation of study materials, required e-learning accessories, and an unsuitable study environment. Mainly, students from remote areas and middle income families suffered enormously. Among those participants, who were able to attend the online classes, the majority of students (70%) were dissatisfied with the ongoing online classes. Only 23.3% of the participants suggested the feasibility of online classes in the near future. CONCLUSION: Our study recommended that training teachers and students about online classes might create effectiveness toward e-learning. The government needs to provide free internet services to the remote areas and the poor students since in the current scenario, huge numbers of the population are struggling with the economic burden.

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Ebastine is a long-acting, nonsedating, second-generation antihistaminic drug that prevents histamine action, mainly in immediate hypersensitivity. This project was aimed to formulate and characterize orodispersible tablets of ebastine, utilizing different proportions of three disintegrants, namely crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate, and coprocessed superdisintegrant. Initially, fifteen trial batches of ebastine orodispersible tablets were outlined using the central composite design of Minitab software. The tablets were formulated by the direct compression method. The compressed tablets were then evaluated for precompression and postcompression physicochemical parameters, such as angle of repose, Carr’s index, Hausner’s ratio, hardness, thickness, weight variation, drug content, friability, wetting time, disintegration time, dispersion time, and water absorption ratio. The in vitro dissolution test was conducted according to Indian Pharmacopeia 2018, with the help of the rotating paddle method using 0.5% w/v sodium lauryl sulfate buffer in 0.1 N HCl. For the optimized batch (8th batch), all the physicochemical parameters like angle of repose (33.77°), Carr’s index (19.34%), Hausner’s ratio (1.24), weight variation (202.5 mg), hardness (4.3 kg/cm2), friability (0.44%), thickness (3.16 mm), dissolution (95.78%), and drug content (101.67%) were within the acceptable limit as per Indian Pharmacopeia 2018. The wetting time, disintegration time, dispersion time, and water absorption ratio were reported to be 25.1 seconds, 16.0 seconds, 38.6 seconds, and 91.92%, respectively. Hence, the results suggested that orodispersible tablets of ebastine can be formulated. Furthermore, the mixing of crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate, and coprocessed super disintegrants can result in excellent desirable properties in the orodispersible tablet.

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